C: Spilt Beans

beans1 If you’ve followed this blog for long, you will know that my husband of (then) thirty-six years left me and our entire family for a twenty-nine-year old.  You know, too, that it was a shock that this seemingly-perfect husband, elder of church, fine-upstanding-citizen would do such a thing. It was not only a shock to our family but to all who knew us….seemingly for a while…but now it appears not so much.

Please indulge me with generalities here…I know there are exceptions to any generalizing.

I have heard of the “bro [brother[ code.”  What I have brocode read in my attempts to understand the adultery dynamic is this: Men do not generally squeal on one another in the area of marital infidelity.  Men who are close to their wives—who confide everything else—generally will not tell wives if a male friend is cheating because we women do tell as a rule.  Telling her would violate the Bro-Code.

The literature (yes, real literature from social scientists) tells us that your girlfriends whose husbands are friends with yours are not a good barometer of what is going on with a cheating husband because the wives don’t know. 

And so it has played out in my own life.

There is a couple who are exceptionally good friends to me.  They have been subeans2pportive of me and hurt by my husband.  It has been a rough road  that we have traveled emotionally in tandem.  This man was my husband’s dearest friend.  We did a lot as couples and for decades shared joys and heartbreaks of children and life. 

The wife called me over for an impromptu dinner the other night.  Her husband was gone, so we had a girls-only simple dinner and a couple glasses of wine (which is likely key here).  I love those times.

I avoid bringing my ex up to them because I do not want to be the clanging cymbal…but ex invariably comes up in the conversation whencymbal it’s just them and me.  He has hurt them deeply, and we end up talking about him at their instigation.  Fine with me—I just don’t want to be the instigator.

This night it began with her question: “C, did you ever suspect in years past that he was cheating?  Did you have any feeling about that at all?”

I answered truthfully that I had no such suspicions.  My husband had been exemplary; a spiritual leader in our home and in our church, a loving father, an attentive husband.  I trusted him totally and never saw a reason why I should not—right up until the day I discovered his affair.

And then the beans spilled.  My friend told me that she had only recently found out from her husband that mine had an affair about fifteen years ago.  To make matters worse, it wasbeans3 a young employee of ours—a twenty-year-old member of our church. 

I remember this young girl well.  I recall that she worked for my husband for a very short time and he found her work ethic to be  “unsatisfactory.”  I remember discussions with him that it was difficult to fire someone from our church.  I had thought she was just not suited for the job and knew he would let her down easily because he was such a kind person.  She was let go (or quit—who knows?) and stopped coming the church altogether.  I remember feeling badly that because she did not work out at the job, it caused her to give up our church altogether.

Now I see there was more to it than that.

Despicable.

I have to tell you that I am shocked.  But not at my husband—these last several years I came to grips with the fact that I probably never knew him, so radically did his recent behavior differ from what I had thought I knew about him.  No, the shock was about my friend.

My friend’s husband is my close friend, too—always has secret been.  Why would he have tolerated this kind of behavior? 

The Bro-Code in action.

It is a lesson for me but, since my damage has been done and I am essentially looking in the rear-view mirror, it is a more important message for those reading this post.  Let me share with you what I have learned through my ordeal:

  • You do not know another person.  Sorry, you just don’t, no matter what you think you know.  I know of no other couples any closer than my husband and I were.  My friend and her husband, for that matter, have been close.  I never knew my husband, apparently.  And, apparently, she never knew hers. This cannot be coincidence—that both of us wives (both intelligent, graduate-level professionals) have been duped into believing that our husbands were truthful and forthcoming when this is not the case.
  • Your male friends will not tell you if your husband cheats in most cases.  Those of you who can give me examples of an exception to this rule, feel free because I’m feeling very distrustful of the male gender.
  • Your girlfriends won’t tell you if your husband cheats because they won’t know.  Their otherwise truthful husbands will keep this from them.  My girlfriend in this case, true to what is suggested by the literature, told me this news as soon as she knew it.  Yes, we spill the beans, us girls.

I have reflected on what my friend’s decades-long silence has meant to me in real, practical terms.  Had I known fifteen years ago what I was married to, I might have (hopefully WOULD have) made different decisions. I would have had far-and-away more time to recoup financially than I do now at this much-later age.

So, the damage to me by his honoring this bro-code is real.  The silence may have cost me a great deal of financial security in my old age.

Now, moving off self-interest here, let’s talk aboelmerut this young twenty-year-old.  She was adult, and could have said “no,” but look at it this way: My husband appeared to be very successful.  He was popular and an elder in her church.  Believe me, he is a charmer.  My view is that he was predatory.   Brings to mind Elmer Gantry, doesn’t it?

But, beyond this, our friend was a leader in the church, too.  If an elder went awry and took advantage and this man knew about, it is he complicit?  In my view, yes.  He had a duty to many to call my husband out on his behavior.  And, if it was too late to intervene and prevent this young girl from being takenwolf_in_sheeps_clothing1 advantage of by a smooth older man, then at least he had a duty to report the transgression. 

My husband had no business in church leadership.   But this “friend’s” silence allowed him to go on almost another twenty years in a position of trust and authority when his evil proclivities were known.  A cheater in church leadership.  A proven wolf in sheep’s clothing—and preying on the flock.

Speaking of damage done by the Bro-Code, what more illustration do you need than the male-circle that surrounded Jerry Sandusky and allowed decades of sexual abuse of young children placed in his care?  This week news of e mails at Penn State indicate that there was much “chat” by the males in the athletic department about how to “humanely handle” the Sandusky problem. 

Humane?  For whom?  While they were dithering over this Bro-Code issue, young boys were being raped.  I submit to you that the only humane thing would have been to stop this monster—Sandusky was due no mercy, given what he was doing.  But he was extended this by the Bro-Code, which let him continue to rape.secret no

I hope Penn State has to pay through the nose.   Those guys are responsible for the rape of innocent children.

And to those men out there who may read this post, know this:

The bro-code is not nice when it works like this.”  C.

 

Comments

jerilanders said…
I hadn't been here in some time and did not know of your situation,what a story! Men! They stick together like glue while we women are left to fall apart at the seams. I had a similar situation in my first marriage, but he was NOT so picture perfect on the surface as yours, so it was not unexpected.
mamahasspoken said…
Great minds think alike! When I first started reading this I was thinking about the Sandusky trail and his wife who claims to know him better then anyone else. But then there were those nasty e-mails and his adopted son which paints him in a totally different light.
My oldest son is going through a nasty divorce and is also going through counseling because of it. Sounds corny but it really does help him to talk with an impartial person about the issues that are coming up (yes she emotionally cheated on him with her mother. A case of emotion incest at it's finest). Many a times he will talk to both his dad and I about his soon to be ex-wife. We all saw the warning signs but him. Difference between him and you: When they were together and we tried to warn him about his MIL taking over their marriage, he wouldn't listen to us, telling us he had it under control.
Guess my point is, even when told, there will always be a part that won't agree. I think that's what makes it love (yes corny) and keeps a couple together, no matter what. It's only when an event happens (not someone telling you) that makes the mind change it's point of view.
Vickie said…
I've heard this same thing in my lifetime with friends and Christians in our circle, C. It's no wonder so many women are soured on marriage and on men in general. This Sandusky thing has sickened everyone and furthered this "Bro Code" mentality, too. What a shame for Paterno to have been such a hero in the sports world only to die in shame. It appeared that he was one of the "brethren", too. I, too, hope the university and those involved pay through the nose for the travesty that has been covered up and the young boys' lives that have been scarred forever. My heart goes out to you, C, and others who've been duped by their mates and those infidelities that have been covered up by their "brothers" or "sisters". Don't worry, they'll pay, one way or another, you can rest assured of that!
Vee said…
And so what are you going to do now, I'm wondering...about your friend and his wife? I hope that they both get to read this piece. You get no argument from me. This behavior is despicable.
Gail Dixon said…
A very well-written piece. I think I'd have to reevaluate my friendship with the elder who knew about your husband's despicable behavior and kept silent. His DUTY as an elder is to confront the adulterer (sinner) about his behavior and follow through to some sort of resolution. That he allowed your husband to continue says a lot about his (lack of) moral character. Jerry Sandusky should burn in hell for what he has done to those innocent little boys. May God be with them and help them heal.
I realize how naive I've been--I really never knew about this "bro code" and how men were so tight lipped about this subject. I want to know if there are any men out there who have exposed a philanderer--I can't think of any! I'm gonna ask my hubby about this!

Cowgirl V
Unknown said…
I totally agree with you! I had a similar situation in my first marriage and I was blessed enough to get out early. I simply do not understand men who cheat, do they honestly believe the women they cheat with are going to be true to them??? Here's hoping your ex gets his in the end!!
Anonymous said…
Dee from Tennessee

I don't know about the Bro Code" since my husband is such such a loner. It's just me and him, ya know? I would be beyond hurt if thought If I had -what I thought was a close friend - who let me go merrily go on with nary a clue of what had happened. I am wondering now if SHE told her husband she spilled the beans..... And , I agree - I Penn State should pay through the nose over and over and over and over again......and over again. (And - I can somewhat understand your male friend want to keep his friendship with your former husband & not getting involved, etc....however, scripture say we ARE to go to the person. Your mutual (/) friend shoulda said "Listen, either you come clean with her or I'll have to tell her." Having said that though - I do know hindsight is 20 20 - and I'm a-bettin' how he regrets NOT confiding in you. I've surely done /made many a mistake - but there are no do-overs. I am wondering though - why did he not come to you and apologize for NOT enlightening you all those years ago if he is still a trusted friend?? Mercy. who knows what "all goes on " in our lives that we are clueless about? Sorry for such a rambling wreck of a reply but more sorry for the betrayal you've endured. In your corner , in your corner.
Joolz said…
Woah, heavy stuff and my jaw is on the floor! You must be seething inside?

Joolz
Vickie said…
I'm back - I've been thinking about this some more, and I, too, wanna know about that male friend, the elder, who kept this to himself and let it continue. He's just as guilty IMHO, and not fit for a leadership position in the church. He owes you a HUGE apology as well as the church.
Suzanne said…
I don't know what you shall do about the male friend who kept the despicable secret. I agree that he should have confronted your husband and told him that he'd tell you if your husband didn't. I don't know how you can remain friends at this point. You've been deceived again. Sad.
so sorry, I wish you had known, makes me mad for you and for the church, I had supisions but never knew for sure back then, as you said you did not really know him, neither did we.....

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